Opening day of the Major League Baseball season begins Thursday — an event that many see as a national holiday. At the same time, many Little League players are preparing for another fun and exciting season.

Youth sports have proven to benefit many children physically, mentally and socially – no matter which sport they compete in. However, the National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) estimated that 53.8% of children aged 6 to 17 played on a sports team or took lessons as of 2022; down from 58.4% in 2017.

The sport of baseball has celebrated many achievements over the past year — a World Series packed with heavy interest between the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers, record increases in attendance and viewership, and an average game time of 2 hours, 36 minutes that marked its shortest pace of play in a season since 1984.

Perhaps a lesser-known accomplishment recently celebrated was the Sports & Fitness Industry Association’s (SFIA) Topline Participation Report for 2023 which showed baseball participation reached 16.7 million in the United States, the highest recorded since 2008. A sport that once faced declining youth participation rates has shown a dramatic resurgence – a contrast to the rest of youth sports.

Megan Buning is a teaching specialist at Florida State University in the Interdisciplinary Center for Athletic Coaching who holds a Certified Mental Performance Consultant certification. Her research focuses on the crossover of sports and classroom concepts and strategies to improve coaching and teaching practices. Buning was an All-American softball pitcher at the University of South Carolina and played professionally in the National Pro Fastpitch League.

While youth sports can bring on issues such as burnout, overtraining and even financial burdens, there are far more positives than negatives for children when it comes to participating.

“What stands out to me the most about the benefits of youth sports participation is learning how to work with others that are different,” Buning said. “Not only working toward a common goal but also learning how to succeed and fail. This skill alone is the most valuable benefit in my opinion.”

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that the percentage of high school youth playing on at least one sports team dropped from 57.4% in 2019 to a 21st-century low of 49.1% in 2021.

The constant pressure faced by youth sports participants as they gain experience is one contributing factor to the declining high school rates.

“Unfortunately, I see youth burning out because they feel pressure to constantly train or play,” Buning added. “Sometimes this pressure is self-created, and other times the pressure is created by parents and coaches. If youth are not allowed to rest, take a break from the sport or to explore other activities then they are more likely to quit the sport.”

Media interested in interviewing Buning on the state of youth sports in America can contact her via email at m.buning@fsu.edu.

Megan Buning, Teaching Specialist in the Interdisciplinary Center for Athletic Coaching, Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences

 In your experience as an athlete, parent, talent analyst, mental performance expert and educator, what is another noticeable way that youth sports benefit each participant?
“Athletes learn from a young age how to work through failure. They have the opportunity to fail more often than they succeed in sports, and each time they fail and try again, they strengthen their ability to be resilient. Another benefit to youth sports participation is athletes learn discipline and work ethic to some degree. Any amount of practice requires time management, practicing when you don’t feel like it and doing the same things repeatedly. All of this teaches work ethic and discipline.”

How can youth sports participants best avoid burnout and overtraining?
“Burnout and overtraining are certainly a concern in youth sports as they are in many areas of life. For youth, it’s important that parents, coaches and trusted others help youth athletes manage and balance their training and well-being to help avoid burnout.”

What are some best common practices for youth league coaches and parents?
“At the youth level, some of the best things coaches can do is make the sport fun. This can be done to varying degrees and include competition. If athletes enjoy playing, they will continue working on the sport. For parents, one of the best ways to support their athletes is to work on productive pre- and post-game discussions. Parents can completely change how athletes respond and handle emotions with how they speak and respond to performances. Supportive and encouraging conversations are extremely important at the youth level.”

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Athletes, spectators and media from around the world will travel to Paris later this month for the 2024 Olympics.

The games run from July 26 through Aug. 11. Major international sporting events such as the Olympics bring a level of spectacle and scrutiny unlike many others. When the world is watching, organizers are under intense pressure for things to run smoothly. Athletes who want to share a message have a grand stage.

Florida State University experts in athletic performance, marketing, journalism and hospitality are available to speak to media covering the Olympics.

Timothy Baghurst, professor and director, Interdisciplinary Center for Athletic Coaching (FSU COACH), College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences
(501) 613-8913; tbaghurst@fsu.edu

Baghurst’s research focuses on coaching education and development, with specific interests in coaching ethics, coach/athlete health and well-being and variables that affect elite performance. He has worked with sports organizations affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association, United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, and International Olympic Committee.

“The Olympics are unique, providing athletes and coaching staff one shot at glory. The pressure to get it right at the right time is immense! This quadrennial event also becomes a hotbed for discussion on topics such as doping, transgender athletes, and other controversial societal and political issues. How coaches and athletes prepare for the unique mental and physical challenges the Olympics provide may be the difference between a podium finish or the four-year wait to try again.”

Megan M. Buning, teaching faculty, Interdisciplinary Center for Athletic Coaching (FSU COACH), College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences
m.buning@fsu.edu

Buning is an expert on athletic coaching, athlete experiences and mental performance for coaches, athletes and game officials. She is a certified mental performance consultant and is listed on the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee Sport Psychology Registry.

“Mental preparation for athletes of all levels is critical to success. Elite level athletes, like those competing in the Olympics, typically have consistent mental, physical, and emotional routines in place that help them stay focused and emotionally regulated during competition. Athletes at the elite level must train for longevity in the sense that their seasons (training and competition) are typically longer than what you would see for collegiate athletes. Athletes, coaches, and referees across the variety of sports offered in the Olympics must prepare a little differently for the pace of play and specific performance needs during competition.”

James Du, assistant professor, Department of Sport Management, College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences
(850) 644-1859; jdu3@fsu.edu

Du’s research focuses on consumer behavior and marketing intelligence in sport and recreational settings. His research integrates applied big data analytics, Bayesian modeling and machine learning to inform sport organizations on effective marketing strategies and their socioeconomic impact on individuals and communities.

“The Paris 2024 Olympics are set to have a transformative impact. The economic, social and environmental benefits are traditionally the focus in evaluating the legacy of mega sporting events such as this. These Games are expected to generate significant direct and induced economic impact, including employment boosts and consumer spending. They are also a vehicle for promoting gender equality, inclusivity and community engagement, with initiatives targeting improved access for people with disabilities. Paris 2024 also aims to be the first carbon-neutral Games by using renewable energy and sustainable construction practices, setting a new standard for operating environmentally sustainable mega-events. Technological innovations like AI surveillance will enhance operational security for goals such as athlete safety and combating online abuse and misinformation. Paris 2024 aims for a positive legacy across all fronts.”

Nathan Line, Cecil B. Day Distinguished Professor, Dedman College of Hospitality
nline@fsu.edu

Line studies marketing and consumer behavior in the hospitality industry. His primary research is on the behavior of hotel and restaurant patrons and their reaction to consumption environments.

“Mega events like the Olympics are a complicated financial equation for host countries. There are many stakeholders that stand to incur both benefits and costs. For hotels, there is certainly a short-term boost in revenue associated with an increased demand for lodging during the event. Often, there is even a need to develop additional hotel supply in advance of mega events to accommodate the demand surge. The problem, however, is that filing the additional rooms becomes quite difficult once the event has passed, resulting in decreased average occupancies in host cities.”

Patrick Merle, associate professor and director of the School of Communication, College of Communication and Information
pmerle@fsu.edu

Merle is a native of France who previously worked as a journalist for Eurosport, Europe’s largest sports network. His work includes coverage of multiple track and field and cycling events and the preparation for the 2004 Athens Olympics.

“After the results of exceptional legislative elections, France will be under additional global scrutiny with the summer Olympics held in Paris. Between a grandiose spectacle in the City of Light orchestrated to showcase a new Paris and crises such as the pollution of the Seine River, as well as the desire to have an Olympic village green and therefore without air conditioning, journalists will have a myriad of stories to cover.”

Michael Ormsbee, professor, College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences
mormsbee@fsu.edu

Ormsbee’s research interests include nighttime pre-sleep feeding strategies to optimize metabolism and recovery from exercise, exercise training and nutritional interventions to maximize human performance in athletes, sports nutrition and dietary supplements and other subjects related to human health and performance. He is the director of the FSU Institute of Sports Sciences & Medicine.

“Getting nutrition right is one key to Olympic success. Each athlete’s needs are unique, so personalizing diet and supplements can really boost recovery, endurance, and performance. By focusing on individual requirements and fine-tuning their nutritional strategies, athletes can optimize their training and competition results, ensuring they are in peak condition when it matters most.”

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In the pressure cooker that is March Madness, some teams collapse and others thrive.

Players and coaches who compete every year for that one shining moment strive to understand what makes that important difference.

The first round of the men’s and women’s NCAA basketball tournaments begin later this month. Florida State University faculty are available to comment on coaching, sports psychology, analytics and marketing.

COACHING

Timothy Baghurst, professor and director, Interdisciplinary Center for Athletic Coaching (FSU COACH), College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences
(501) 613-8913; tbaghurst@fsu.edu

Baghurst’s research focuses on coaching education and development, with specific interests in coaching ethics, coach/athlete health and well-being and variables that affect elite performance. He has worked with sports organizations affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association, United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, and International Olympic Committee.

“Although seedings suggest who should win March Madness each year, it rarely happens. March Madness creates a unique environment for coaches and athletes in which a team might create momentum and overcome what might be considered disadvantages on paper. The mental pressure of a one-and-done format for college basketball’s biggest prize affects players and coaches. How well they cope with the intensity of such a format plays a big role in who might be going home early and who might be a Cinderella. Understanding the multifaceted nature of competition is paramount to appreciating why some teams thrive and some fold.”

Megan M. Buning, teaching faculty, Interdisciplinary Center for Athletic Coaching (FSU COACH), College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences
m.buning@fsu.edu

Buning is an expert on athletic coaching, athlete experiences and mental performance for coaches, athletes and game officials. She is a certified mental performance consultant and is listed on the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee Sport Psychology Registry.

“Mental resilience is crucial in sports. Through my research at FSU COACH and practical application as a consultant for athletes and teams, I have seen firsthand how the ability to focus, regroup after mistakes and regulate emotions affects mental performance and outcomes. These mental skills can be developed and even specialized according to sport, giving players and coaches a critical advantage in high-stakes games such as the NCAA tournament.”

ANALYTICS

N. David Pifer, assistant professor, Department of Sport Management, College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences
david.pifer@fsu.edu

Pifer researches sports analytics, the use of data and statistical methods to help sport organizations and individuals make better decisions. He is primarily concerned with variables related to on-field/on-court team, player and coach performance, and how analytics can help these parties enhance their decision-making by overcoming errant traditions, biases and heuristics.

“Athletes and coaches make hundreds of decisions every game. They can use sports analytics to examine those outcomes on a wide scale, helping them to improve their decision-making processes and performance. Persistent biases in analyzing crucial game decisions keep teams from achieving their potential. Data and predictive models give us insight that allows teams to break away from old conventions and find new ways to separate themselves from their competition.”

Lance Kerwin, teaching faculty, Department of Business Analytics, Information Systems and Supply Chain, College of Business
lkerwin@business.fsu.edu, (850) 322-3001

Kerwin is an expert in business analytics, systems design, business intelligence and telecommunications. He was recognized for his teaching excellence in 2020 with a College of Business Undergraduate Teaching Award for Specialized Faculty. He also serves as an adviser to the Sports Analytic Club at FSU.

“March Madness is a special time for dreamers and those who want to be inspired. When thinking of analytics and picking a bracket, ask how you want to define success as a fan. I personally think success is defined as having fun, so don’t take your picks too seriously, but apply common sense. For some, success is promoting a favorite team and looking brilliant if they advance. Others want to analyze data and make smart decisions. The bottom line — develop your approach and methodology so that you can speak to how you came to your decisions, make your picks and root like your life depends on it.”

MARKETING AND CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

Colleen M. Harmeling, Dr. Persis E. Rockwood Associate Professor of Marketing, Rockwood School of Marketing, College of Business
charmeling@fsu.edu

Harmeling is an expert in marketing and consumer behavior, with specific focus on human brands (influencers and endorsers) as well as morality and how it shapes consumption, health decision-making and marketing strategy.

“For marketers, March Madness represents an effective vehicle for imbuing brands with desirable human qualities through endorsements and brand-player collaborations. This comes with greater responsibility to the players as their private lives become part of brand stories and subject to greater scrutiny. ‘Player performance’ now includes actions beyond what unfolds on the court.

For consumers, March Madness represents human accomplishment tested through extreme competition with unpredictable outcomes — prime conditions for gambling. While gambling laws vary by state, brackets are a ubiquitous and iconic element of the fan experience. Moral judgments are inevitable as fans debate the appropriateness of these behaviors, the allowable size of wagers and the impact of these decision on their broader lives.”

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